It's been about a week since we've been home and I've finally gotten around to uploading and organizing stuff.
So without further delay:
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Homez0r
Its simultaneously a startling and exciting thing when you realize just how small this world is. Whether returning from a trip to the Rocky mountains, or a trip to Europe, in what seems like a short blur of time and space, you can go from eating lamb and drinking Mythos beer in Athens, Greece to mowing the lawn in Mystic, Connecticut.
After a rough night of "sleep" on the hard, high traffic carpeting of Brussels International Airport, the fight was smooth, even arriving 45 minutes early. A couple train and subway legs later, we picked up the white monster dog and pulled into the driveway.
Trip: complete success!
The pictures have been pulled off the cameras, I've started to rip video from the DV cam, and now, I get ready to head up to UConn. It happens that quick.
Another update in the next couple weeks with links to everything (but a few choice pictures below). Thanks for reading!
After a rough night of "sleep" on the hard, high traffic carpeting of Brussels International Airport, the fight was smooth, even arriving 45 minutes early. A couple train and subway legs later, we picked up the white monster dog and pulled into the driveway.
Trip: complete success!
The pictures have been pulled off the cameras, I've started to rip video from the DV cam, and now, I get ready to head up to UConn. It happens that quick.
Another update in the next couple weeks with links to everything (but a few choice pictures below). Thanks for reading!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Out the window right now...
..I can see the columns of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece!
The trip to Greece from Italy:
The trip to Greece from Italy:
- Air conditioner on the 5 hour Italian train leg dies halfway through.
- No dorms available on the overnight ferry. We sleep in an "aircraft" seat. It sounds and feels like the ship has thrown a propeller blade. We do, though, wake up to the Greek coast, shrouded in a ethereal layer of morning fog.
- Air conditioner on the 4 hour Greek train leg never comes alive. The narrow gauge train rocks and sways and bumps, but to our amazement never derails.
Yesterday we ventured on a high speed ferry to the Island of Poros for a day on the Mediterranean. Turquoise waves washing shore. Laying under a beach umbrella drinking beer. Reading and eating pistachio nuts. Biking around Porostown. Despite an egregious sunburn, it was a deserved and needed respite from the 'adventure' that the trip had been to that point.
Today, our final day on the grand continent of Europe, we headed out to see the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, Plaka (bunch of cool street shops), and the Agora. After a farewell lunch, we'll begin to make our way to the airport. Then an overnight layover in Brussels, and finally, we'll arrive in JFK around 12pm tomorrow, back on American soil.
It has been a long way from stepping out of the train station in Paris for the first time. Terribly jet lagged, lugging 40lb packs through the cold rain, the initial and unique blast of disorientation of being immersed in a foreign country. Fast forward to arrival in Greece. Despite the combination of yet another new language and a new alphabet, we efficiently and stress free move through the subways and streets, eating local food and drink.
It has been an incredible journey. I'll send out an email to everyone once I update this site with pictures and the complete journal.
See everyone soon!
P.S. Greek keyboards rule (σδερφςΣδγξΘΞλπλΩΨωψφρυτηΜΝΣνα)
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Italians should not have ever..
..been introduced to the invention of the internal combustion engine. Bill Bryson, or something close to what he said.
The streets of Rome are insane.
Picture a red light. Mopeds usually outnumber cars, and while waiting at a red light they work their way up to stop line. As the last daring pedestrians (you have to be prepared to take significant risks to life and limb just to walk here) sprint across before the light changes, knowing what comes, the mopeds start to rev their engines. Then, BOOM, the light changes and all the mopeds lay into the throttle at full bore. A fury of bluish smoke and the unmistakable "bwaarrrrrrrrrrrrr". And just as this happens, the whole thing begins to repeat itself for the other side of the street.
After arriving into Rome we immediately headed to the Vatican Museum. With regard to that: 1) The Sistine Chapel is a lot more than just that God touching fingers with man thing. Also, 2) St. Peters is freakin ginormous. I mean, really freakin big.
Yesterday we did the "Caesar Shuffle" and made our way through the Colosseum, the Forum, Palantine Hill, etc etc, basically all the sites you expect to see when in Rome. The blaring sun damped our enthusiasm slightly, but it was really something else to be walking down basalt lined streets that one day, a couple thousand years ago, Caesar himself could have been walking down.
Last night, after a requisite siesta, we headed out for a night walk through Rome's hotspots. Revealing another dimension to this pretty damn cool city, fountains and piazzas were jammed pack with street entertainers, gypsies, tourists, and locals alike, eating gelato and drinking.
After a few days of too much sun, pizza, and ice cream we're headed to Athens via a 5 hour train ride to Bari (oh boy), a 14 hour ferry ride to Patras (wheeee!) and finally a 4 hour train ride from Patras to Athens (awesome).
Final update from there.
The streets of Rome are insane.
Picture a red light. Mopeds usually outnumber cars, and while waiting at a red light they work their way up to stop line. As the last daring pedestrians (you have to be prepared to take significant risks to life and limb just to walk here) sprint across before the light changes, knowing what comes, the mopeds start to rev their engines. Then, BOOM, the light changes and all the mopeds lay into the throttle at full bore. A fury of bluish smoke and the unmistakable "bwaarrrrrrrrrrrrr". And just as this happens, the whole thing begins to repeat itself for the other side of the street.
After arriving into Rome we immediately headed to the Vatican Museum. With regard to that: 1) The Sistine Chapel is a lot more than just that God touching fingers with man thing. Also, 2) St. Peters is freakin ginormous. I mean, really freakin big.
Yesterday we did the "Caesar Shuffle" and made our way through the Colosseum, the Forum, Palantine Hill, etc etc, basically all the sites you expect to see when in Rome. The blaring sun damped our enthusiasm slightly, but it was really something else to be walking down basalt lined streets that one day, a couple thousand years ago, Caesar himself could have been walking down.
Last night, after a requisite siesta, we headed out for a night walk through Rome's hotspots. Revealing another dimension to this pretty damn cool city, fountains and piazzas were jammed pack with street entertainers, gypsies, tourists, and locals alike, eating gelato and drinking.
After a few days of too much sun, pizza, and ice cream we're headed to Athens via a 5 hour train ride to Bari (oh boy), a 14 hour ferry ride to Patras (wheeee!) and finally a 4 hour train ride from Patras to Athens (awesome).
Final update from there.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Italia
Despite being stopped in somewhere in the middle of northern Italy due to Bush protests for a few hours (not only can GW trash entire countries but he can even try to ruin your vacation), we made it to the small island of Venice a few days ago. After checking out San Marco we plunged into the depths of the city with the full intent to get lost. Its a fun place to walk around, but after a half a day we ventured back to Mestre for sleep.
Over the days since we made our way through to Cinque Terre, a beautiful region of the Italian Riviera that is listed as "hidden" in all of the international guide books. We were discouraged early on when 3 separate people said that it was jammed pack even weeks ago. This morning though, setting out from Monterosso for the full 5 hour hike through the 5 towns, we encountered very small crowds, and for the first few miles, hardly anyone at all.
The trail leads through truly amazing scenery. In 15 minutes you can go from being immersed in terraced vineyards to overlooks of crashing waves against 100 foot cliffs to viewpoints of one of the 5 extraordinary towns. The weather cooperated and even gave us some well received shade during the more exposed sections.
After making our way back to La Spezia, we hopped onto a train for Florence (Firenze for the show offs) where I now type this post. Tomorrow we make our way down to Rome and base from there for a few days before moving onto Greece.
One week left!
Over the days since we made our way through to Cinque Terre, a beautiful region of the Italian Riviera that is listed as "hidden" in all of the international guide books. We were discouraged early on when 3 separate people said that it was jammed pack even weeks ago. This morning though, setting out from Monterosso for the full 5 hour hike through the 5 towns, we encountered very small crowds, and for the first few miles, hardly anyone at all.
The trail leads through truly amazing scenery. In 15 minutes you can go from being immersed in terraced vineyards to overlooks of crashing waves against 100 foot cliffs to viewpoints of one of the 5 extraordinary towns. The weather cooperated and even gave us some well received shade during the more exposed sections.
After making our way back to La Spezia, we hopped onto a train for Florence (Firenze for the show offs) where I now type this post. Tomorrow we make our way down to Rome and base from there for a few days before moving onto Greece.
One week left!
Friday, June 8, 2007
Greetings from Milan
Switzerland. Freakin. Rules.
I don't know how else to say it. From the moment we woke up (5:50am a few days ago in our train) and looked out the window until the moment we left the country (a few hours ago via the Bernina Express through the Alps) every bit of the country was incredible.
A night train from Vienna deposited us in Zurich and from there we made our way via train and gondola to the small town of Gimmelwald, the scenery a gradual crescendo from lush, green hills near Zurich to the unbelievable peaks at our destination. Even with this gradual introduction, when you get off the final train in Gimmelwald you stand around in complete awe. Vertical mountain faces, thousands of feet tall, tower around you, snow capped peaks and glaciers in the view across the valley, and a small town where cattle out number people. Words will do only slightly less injustice than the pictures, so I'll move on.
After settling into our room, we headed down to the Mountain Hostel and met up serendipitously with a friendly San Fransican named Mike. He was in the process of assembling a hike to the top of the Shark's Tooth (Tanzbodeli). After gathering Esther from Columbus, Ohio, and James from Melbourne, Australia, we took off. MaryBeth and Esther took off to see Chilchbalm, a meadow area surrounded tremendous mountain faces, and Mike, James and I continued on a total quad busting ascent (apparently the Swiss do not believe in switchbacks). 2.5 hours later we were rewarded with yet a further incredible vista panning out in all directions.
Today we departed from Chur on the a scenic train, the only one to traverse the Alps from north to south. Moving from scenery akin to New Hampshire to pure alpine meadows akin to Alaskan tundra, the 4 hour ride dropped us off in Tirano, Italy. From there a 3 hour train ride to Milan.
Tomorrow we'll head out to Venice, and then after that, Cinque Terre.
I don't know how else to say it. From the moment we woke up (5:50am a few days ago in our train) and looked out the window until the moment we left the country (a few hours ago via the Bernina Express through the Alps) every bit of the country was incredible.
A night train from Vienna deposited us in Zurich and from there we made our way via train and gondola to the small town of Gimmelwald, the scenery a gradual crescendo from lush, green hills near Zurich to the unbelievable peaks at our destination. Even with this gradual introduction, when you get off the final train in Gimmelwald you stand around in complete awe. Vertical mountain faces, thousands of feet tall, tower around you, snow capped peaks and glaciers in the view across the valley, and a small town where cattle out number people. Words will do only slightly less injustice than the pictures, so I'll move on.
After settling into our room, we headed down to the Mountain Hostel and met up serendipitously with a friendly San Fransican named Mike. He was in the process of assembling a hike to the top of the Shark's Tooth (Tanzbodeli). After gathering Esther from Columbus, Ohio, and James from Melbourne, Australia, we took off. MaryBeth and Esther took off to see Chilchbalm, a meadow area surrounded tremendous mountain faces, and Mike, James and I continued on a total quad busting ascent (apparently the Swiss do not believe in switchbacks). 2.5 hours later we were rewarded with yet a further incredible vista panning out in all directions.
Today we departed from Chur on the a scenic train, the only one to traverse the Alps from north to south. Moving from scenery akin to New Hampshire to pure alpine meadows akin to Alaskan tundra, the 4 hour ride dropped us off in Tirano, Italy. From there a 3 hour train ride to Milan.
Tomorrow we'll head out to Venice, and then after that, Cinque Terre.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Austria eh? Throw some shrimp on the barbie!
Sorry for the truncated entry, but our train leaves in 20 minutes!
Vienna was great, but more on that later. Headed to Switzerland tonight and will probably be out of internet reach until Milan, Italia a few days later.
Auf wiedersehen!
Vienna was great, but more on that later. Headed to Switzerland tonight and will probably be out of internet reach until Milan, Italia a few days later.
Auf wiedersehen!
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